Cuff making machine



Sept. 17, 1968 A. JOHNSON ETAL CUFF MAKING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet l NGN N AIM j "uw N @N mm3 .Q RMN@ A NQ :imL

Sept- 17, 1968 A. JOHNSON ETAL 3,401,655

CUFF MAK lNG MACHINE Filed Feb.

Sept 17, 1968 A. JOHNSON ETAL 3,401,655

CUFF MAKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 n IN ENToRs':

Sept, 17, 1968 A. JOHNSON ETAL 3,401,655

CUFF MAKNG MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb.

United States Patent O 3,401,655 CUFF MAKING MACHINE Allie Johnson and Harry E. Bryan, Pulaski, Tenn., as-

signors of fifty percent to Joseph Resnick, New York, NSY.

Fiied Feb. 2, 1966, Ser. No. 524,511 12 Claims. (Cl. 112-2) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A machine for making cuff blanks including guide means for a web of sheet material of indeterminate length, adapted to first fold the material longitudinally about its middle to substantially register its longitudinal raw edges, and subsequently to fold at least one raw edge longitudinally over the other raw edge, means for operating upon the folded material to secure the material in folded position and to sever the folded material transversely, and platform means for relatively moving the folded material toward and away from the operating means.

This invention relates to a machine for making cuffs, and more particularly to a machine for folding, securing and cutting flexible sheet material to form cuff blanks, which are subsequently turned and secured to the sleeves of wearing apparel to form cuffs.

Heretofore in the art of making cuff blanks, sheet material, such as textile fabric, of indeterminate length and uniform width has been folded lengthwise, then the raw edges folded back upon the fabric by hand, and then the material manipulated by hand transversely beneath the stitching needle of a sewing machine. The folded, stitched material is then cut by any convenient means to separate the fabric into cuff blanks of uniform lengths with transverse lines of stitching adjacent each end of the cuff blank to secure the material in its folded position. The blanks are then turned inside out and stitched around the end of a sleeve to form a cuff.

Most cuffs are formed with a liner of coarsely woven fabric approximately the same dimension as the finished cuff blank, which must be placed on top of the cuff material after it is folded lengthwise, but before the edges are folded. The raw edges are then folded over both the liner and the double-folded material and subsequently cut and stitched, as previously described.

Thus, the making of cuff blanks by hand can be rather tedious, since the cloth must be folded fairly accurately, and the liner must be located accurately on the folded material before the edges can be folded and stitched.

It is therefore an object of this invention to expedite the making of cuff blanks by providing a machine which will accurately and rapidly fold, cut and secure the sheet material to form a cuff blank.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cuff making machine having separate guide means for forming each fold in the sheet material automatically as the material is drawn through the guide means.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cuff making machine having a securing head including longitudinally spaced securing members and a knife between said securing members for simultaneously cutting the folded sheet material and securing the severed ends in a single transverse movement of the folded material beneath the securing head.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cuff making machine including a stitching head having at least one stitching needle and a knife adapted to reciprocate together for simultaneously cutting and sewing the end of a folded cuff blank, and including means for auto- 3,401,655 Patented Sept. 17, 1968 ice.

matically cutting the thread after the stitch has been made by the stitching needle.

Another' object of this invention is to provide a cuff making machine having a stitching head, a work receiving platform and guide means for folding and delivering sheet material of indeterminate length to the work supporting platform, and means for relatively moving the platform and stitching head for operation of the stitching head upon the sheet material.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cuff making machine having a stitching head including a stitching needle, knife and thread cutter, a platform for reciprocably moving folded sheet material toward and away from the stitching head for operation thereby, and automatic means controlled by the movement of the platform for actuating the stitching needle and the thread cutter.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cuff making machine having guide members for sequentially folding the sheet material, and means for introducing the liner material upon the folded sheet material before the raw edges are folded.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

FIG. l is a front elevation of the invention with parts broken away, and showing the cuff material and liner material in phantom;

FIG. 2 is a section taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a section taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a section taken along the line 5 5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a section taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged front elevation of the stitching head, including the thread cutting members, disclosed in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a rear elevation of the stitching head disclosed in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a left-side elevation of the stitching head disclosed in FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a perspective schematic view of the cuff material and liner material supply and the guide means;

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of a completed cuff blank; and

FIG. 12 is an enlarged section taken along the line 12-12 of FIG. l1.

Referring now to the drawings in more detail, the cuff making machine made in accordance with this invention includes a base or table 15 upon which is mounted a sheet material or cloth supply 16, cloth guide means 17, stitching head 1S and blank supporting platform 19.

The cloth supply 16 includes a base 21 supported on the table 15, upon which is mounted a substantially upright spindle 22, inclined at a slight angle toward the guide means 17, and adapted to support a roll of cuff sheet material 23, such as textile fabric.

Also supported upon the cloth supply base 21 is a standard 25 supporting a transverse spindle 26 for supporting a roll of liner sheet material 27, such as coarsely woven textile fabric. The liner roll 27 is mounted above the cuff material roll 23.

Also fixed in an upstanding position on the cloth supply base 21 and inclined toward the guide means 17 is a guide rod 29 for guiding the web of cuff material 30 from the supply roll 23 to the guide means 17.

The cloth guide means 17 includes a first guide member 31 and a second guide member 32. The first guide member 31 is preferably constructed of an outer elongated guide plate 34, bent or otherwise shaped to have an arcuate cross-section. The width or transverse arcuate extent of the outer plate 34 is slightly greater than the width of the cuff web 30. The first guide member 31 also includes an elongated inner guide plate 35 having substantially the same configuration as, but spaced radially inward from, the outer guide plate 34. Both guide plates 34 and 35 have complementary arcuate cross-sections which converge from the entrance 36 of the first guide member 31 to the discharge end or exit 37. Thus, the outer plate 34 and inner plate 35 form a slot which has an arcuate cross-section (FIG. 3) the radius of which gradually diminishes in the direction of feeding movement, until the exit 37 has a substantially transverse U- shape with parallel upper and lower slot portions (FG. 4). Thus, when the web 30 is introduced into the entrance 36 of the first guide member 31, the web is gradually and transversely curved to assume a trough shape, as disclosed in FIG. l0. As the web 30 progresses through the guide member 31, the web is gradually folded until it is completely folded upon itself when it is discharged from the exit end 37. An elongated slot 39 may be provided in the outer guide plate 34 to facilitate manually threading the web 30 through the first guide member 31.

Spaced in longitudinal alignment with the first guide member 31 is the second guide member 32 having a bottom plate 40, which as disclosed in the drawing, is actually an extension of the bottom portion of the outer guide plate 34 of the first guide member 31, for supporting the folded web 30 as it moves from the first guide member 31 to the second guide member 32. The width of the bottom plate 40 is slightly less than the folded width of the web of cuff material 30, or in other words, slightly less than 1/2 the width of the web 30. The front edge of the plate 40 turns upwardly in a flange 41 to guide the folded edge of the web 30.

Formed along and preferably as an integral part of the rear edge of the bottom plate 40 is a curved Irear wall or edge guide 42 which curves upwardly and then forwardly to form a top wall 43. The front portion of the top wall 43 then depends in a curved front wall 44 opposing the rear wall 42 and terminating in a bottom wall 45 spaced slightly above and substantially parallel to the bottom plate 40. The bottom plate 45 terminates in a rear or fold edge 46, about which the raw edges of the web 30 are folded as the web 30 passes through the second guide member 32.

If desired, the raw edge turning structure 42-46 may be additionally supported by a strap or bar 48 extending from the bottom wall 45 transversely to the front edge 41.

The second guide member 32 also includes an enlarged entrance 50 and a fiat U-shaped exit 51. The walls 42, 43 and 44 also converge from the entrance 50 to the exit 51 in a manner somewhat similar to the convergence of the guide plates 34 and 35 in the first guide member 31.

Thus, as the cuff web 30 moves through the guide means 17, the web is gradually curved in the trough between the guide plates 34 and 35 in the first guide member 31 and then gradually folded about the longitudinal axis of the web 30, preferably the longitudinal center line, until it is completely folded upon itself when discharged from the exit 51.

The folded web 30 is then introduced into the entrance 50 of the second guide member 32, with the folded edge of the web 30 abutting the front edge 41. Since the oncefolded cuff web 30 is wider than the second guide member 32, the raw edges are turned upwardly by the curved wall 42 and transversely inwardly by the upper wall 43 over the bottom wall 45. As the web progresses through the second guide member 32, and as the walls 42 and 43 become more constricted, raw edges 30' are forced forwardly and downwardly about the fold edge 46. Consequently, when the web 30 is discharged through the exit 51, it has been folded twice to assume the flat configuration of the unstitched cuff blank 53, disclosed in phantom in FIG. 2, and in solid lines in FIGS. ll and l2.

The cuff blank 53 usually includes a liner sheet 55 of substantially the same rectangular shape as the completed blank, as disclosed in FIGS. 1l and 12. The web 56 of liner material from the roll 27 is guided beneath a guide bar 58 mounted on the top of the outer guide 34 adjacent the exit 37 of the first guide member 31, so that the liner web 56 will be guided down upon and in alignment with the folded cuff web 30. Thus, the folded web material 30 and the liner web 56 on top thereof will be introduced into the entrance 50 in the second guide member 32, so that the raw edges 30 will be turned and folded not only upon its own material, but over and covering one side edge of the liner material 56. The width of the liner is preferably equal to the distance between the front flange 41 and the fold edge 46.

As disclosed in the drawings, the first and second guide members 31 and 32 are made of lightweight metal, such as aluminum, and preferably formed as a unit so the guide members 31 and 32 will be maintained in rigid alignment.

The guide means 17 is fixed upon the movable platform 19 in any convenient manner, such as by the mounting bracket 33, so that the guide means 17 will move with the platform 19 transversely of the table 15.

The stitching head 18 comprises a housing 60 supporting a depending needle bar 61 for vertical reciprocable movement. The means for reciprocating the needle bar 61 may be any conventional sewing machine mechanism, not shown. The bottom of the needle bar 61 includes a cross-head 62 supporting a pair of needles 63 and 64 spaced longitudinally of the cross-head 62, the housing 60 and the platform 19. Also fixed to the cross-head 62 and spaced midway between the needles 63 and 64 is a cutting blade or knife 65 disposed to cut transversely of the cross-head 62. The needle bar 61 is adapted to reciprocate the cross-head 62, needles 63 and 64 and knife 65 between the upper solid-line position and the lower phantom position disclosed in FIG. 9.

Also fixed to and depending from the sewing machine housing 60 is a post 67 supporting a presser foot 68 adapted to hold down the top of the cuff blank 53 as it moves transversely of the stitching head 18. The presser foot 68 also includes apprqpriate slots, such as 69 and 70, to permit the reciprocable passage of the needles 63 and 64, as Well as a slot, not shown, for the reciprocable passage of the knife 65.

Mounted on the rear of the housing 60 is a bracket having an upper vertically disposed plate 73, an intermediate forwardly extending horizontally disposed plate 74, and vertically disposed lower plate depending from the forward edge of the plate 74. Projecting forwardly from the plate 75 are vertically disposed guide studs 76. A scissors plate 78, having a pair of longitudinally spaced depending scissors blades 79, is provided with a pair of longitudinally spaced vertically disposed slots which are adapted to slidably receive the guide studs 76 to permit vertical reciprocable movement of the scissors plate 78. Also pivotally mounted on the scissors plate 78 by means of spring biased pivot bolts 82 are scissors blades 81. The scissors blades 81 are normally pivoted away from the blades 79 in their inoperative position by means of spring 84 connected at its ends to the upper ends of the blades 81. The outer pivotal movement of the blades 81 is limited by the upper stops 85 engaging the side edges of the scissors plate 78.

The upper edge of the scissors plate 78 is xed to a longitudinal rod 87, the outer ends of which are supported in the forked ends 88 of link bars 89 pivotally mounted on pins 90 to the intermediate bracket plate 74. The link bars 89 converge rearwardly into a single bar 91 which supports a counter-weight 92 to maintain the forked ends 88 and the scissors plate 78 in normally raised position. A solenoid 95 is fixed to the upper bracket plate 73, and its armature 96 is pivotally mounted by the pin 97 to the single link bar 91 between the pivot pin 90 and the counter-weight 92.

Formed in the needle plate 98 in the vertical path of the scissors blades 79 and 81 are a pair of slots 99 to receive the ends of the scissors blades 79 and 81, and force each blade 81 to pivot against the cooperating blade 79 as the blades descend into the slots 99. The purpose of the scissors blades 79 and 81 is to cut the threads trailing from the cuff blank 53 after it has been stitched by the needles 63 and 64 and cut by the knife 65. The thread cutters are actuated by energization of the solenoid 95 to raise the counter-weighted end of the link bar 91 and simultaneously force the forked ends 88 and the scissors plate 78 downward.

The blank supporting platform 19 is a rectangular fiat plate having an elongated rectangular slot 100 opening through the front edge of the platform 19, and extending, in its forward position at least behind the scissors plate 78 of the stitching head 18. The side edges of the platform 19 are guided for reciprocable movement from front to rear,`and transversely of the cuff blank 53, in elongated tracks 101 and 102. A spacer plate 103 is fixed to the table in slidable relation with the slot 100 to further guide the transverse reciprocable movement of the platform 19.

An end stop bar 105 and a front stop bar 106 are mounted at right angles to each other upon the platform 19 to receive the right end and front edge of the cuff blank 53 for proper alignment before the blank is sewn and cut by the stitching head 18. An adjustable threaded screw 107 may be mounted in the front end of the end stop bar 105 as shown in FIG. 2 for adjustment of the relative positions of the stop bars 105 and 106. The platform 19 may also be provided with an elongated front handle to facilitate reciprocating the platform 19, if desired. The forward limit of the movement of the platform 19 may be established by the stop lugs 109 fixed to the front ends of the tracks 101 and 102 and extending into the path of the front edge of the platform 19.

An elongated switch actuating bar 110 is fixedly mounted along the left edge and projects behind the platform 19. A limit switch 111 is mounted on table 15 and electrically connected to the means for driving the stitching head 18, and specifically for reciprocating the needle bar 61. The arm or finger of the switch 111 is made in two sections 112 and 113, pivoted together so that when the finger section 113 is thrust rearwardly, its ange 114 extending beyond the pivot point, will engage and move the section 112 to close the switch 111. On the other hand, when the finger section 113 is moved forwardly, it merely pivots about the section 112 without moving the section 112 or actuating the switch 111. The section nger 113 is adapted to extend slightly into the rearward path of the actuating bar 110.

Another button limit switch 115 is mounted toward the rear of the table 15 and in the direct path of the actuating arm 110. The switch 115 isconnected by leads 116 to the solenoid 95. The switch 115 is also appropriately spaced so that when the rear end of actuating bar 110 engages the switch 115 to actuate it, the platform 19 will have moved the cuff blank 53 completely past the needles 63 and 64 and knife 65, and the thread cutters 79 and 81, so that the blank 53 is completely stitched and cut. With the cui blank 53 in this rearward position and completely stitched, the energized solenoid 95 will actuate the scissors blades 79 and 81 to 'cut the threads trailing from the stitches in the blank 53.

The actuating bar 110 is also provided with a cutout notch 119 in the left side thereof, which is adapted to register with the switch finger section 113 when the actuating bar 110 is in the phantom position disclosed in FIG. 2 engaging limit switch 115. The notch 119 thus permits the switch 111 to be de-actuated to stop the operation of the stitching head 18 as the thread cutting mechanism is operating. Moreover, when, the actuating bar 110 is retracting toward the front of the machine, the pivoted sections 112 and 113 will prevent reactuation of the switch 111, as previously described.

The operation of the invention is as follows:

The operator of the cuff making machine places the roll of cuff material 23 upon the spindle 22 and unwinds the web 30, threading the free end through the entrance 36 and between the guide plates 34 and 35 of the first guide member 31, using the threading Slot 39, if necessary. The end of the folded web material 30 is then introduced into the second guide member 32 beneath the top -bar 48 so that the raw edges 30' are folded about the folding edge 46.

If a liner 55 is desired, the roll of liner material 27 is mounted upon the spindle 26 and the free end of the web 56 is withdrawn and passed beneath the guide bar 58 until the free end of the web 56 is flush with the free ends of the folded web 30. The combined layers of folded cuff material 30 and liner 56 are then introduced and carried through the second guide member 32.

The operator then manually feeds the folded web 30 and 56 in the direction of the arrow disclosed in FIG. 10, and carries them across the top of the platform 19 until the free ends and the front edges of the cuff material and liner abut against the stop bars and 106, as disclosed in phantom in FIG. 2. The operator then thrusts the platform 19 rearwardly to carry the folded material beneath the stitching head 18. As soon as the actuating bar engages switch finger section 113, the microswitch 111 is energized to actuate the means for reciprocating the needle bar 61. The preferred method of operating stitcher head 18 is to have a motor which runs continuously with the cuff making operation, and having the switch 111 electrically connected to a device for engaging a clutch between the needle bar operating means and the motor.

The relative locations of stitching head 18, the microswitch 111 and actuating bar 110 permit the needle bar 61 to begin reciprocating just before the rear folded edge of the web material passes beneath the cross-head 62. As the folded material passes beneath the cross-head 62, it is cut transversely by the knife 65, which reciprocates through the folded cloth, and is simultaneously stitched along transverse lines on opposite sides of the path of the knife 65. In this manner, the trailing end of one cuff blank 53 is stitched and severed from the subsequently formed cuff blank, and the leading end of the subsequently formed cuff blank is simultaneously stitched,

After the forward edges of the cuff blanks pass beneath the stitching head 18, so that the stitching and cutting operations are completed, the actuating bar 110 engages the microswitch to energize the solenoid 95 and cause the scissors blades 79 and 81 to descend across the threads trailing from the stitches in the material, and cut the threads by virtue of the blades 81 and 79 being closed by descent into the slots 99. At the same time, the slot 119 registers with the switch finger section 113 permiting it to retract to normally inoperative position, to de-energize the switch 111 and render the needle bar 61 inoperative.

The operator then withdraws the platform 19 forward to de-energize the switch 115 and permit the scissors blades 79 and 81 to rise to their inoperative positions by virtue of the counter-weight 92. Moreover, because of the pivotal connection between the finger sections 112 and 113, the finger section 113 merely rides up over the actuating bar 110 without reenergizing the switch 111. The completed cuff blank 53 is then removed from the platform 19. The operator draws more web material from the rolls 23 and 27 through the first and second guide members 31 and 32, causing the web materials to be automatically folded to their final configuration disclosed in FIGS. l0 and l2, before being stitched. The operator then thrusts the platform 19 rearwardly to repeat the stitching, severing and thread cutting operations previously described.

It will be understood that other types of securing heads may be employed besides the stitching head 18. For example, heat sealing irons, Staplers or other types of securing members might be substituted for the needles 63 and 64 to secure the folded edges of the blanks 53, depending upon the type of sheet material employed.

It will `be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for making cuff blanks comprising:

(a) a base,

(b) means for supplying to said base sheet material of uniform width, indeterminate length and having longitudinal raw edges,

(c) first guide means on said base for receiving said sheetmaterial from said supply means and for folding said sheet material along a longitudinal line substantially in the middle of said sheet material so that said raw edges lie substantially adjacent each other,

(d) second guide means on said base for receiving the folded material from said first guide means and for folding at least one raw edge along a longitudinal line spaced adjacent said one raw edge to cover the other raw edge,

(e) operative means on said base for securing said sheet material in folded position, and for severing said folded material transversely to form cuff blanks,

(f) a platform on said base for receiving said folded sheet material from said second guide means, and

(g) means for relatively moving said platform and said operative means toward and away from each other for operation of said operative means on said folded material.

2. The invention according to claim 1 in which said first guide means comprises an elongated outer guide plate curved about its longitudinal axis and converging longitudinally toward said second guide means, said outer guide plate terminating in a discharge end having plate portions spaced just far enough apart to permit the folded sheet material to pass therethrough.

3. The invention according vto claim 2 further comprising an inner guide plate spaced inwardly of said outer guide plate having complementary configuration and length to support and guide the inner surface of said sheet material through said first guide means.

4. The invention according to claim 1 in which said second guide means comprises a -bottom guide plate of predetermined width for receiving and supporting the folded material from said lirst guide means, a curved guide member extending upwardly and over one edge of said bottom plate adjacent said raw edges to fold at least one raw edge, said guide member converging away from said first guide means to form a discharge slot above said bottom guide plate for folding said raw edge upon said sheet material.

5. The invention according to claim 1 further comprising second supply means for supplying liner sheet material of indeterminate length and of uniform width slightly less than the width of the folded cuff blank, and third guide means iixedly mounted on said base for guiding said liner material into said second guide means so that said raw edge may be folded over said liner and said sheet material, said operative means being adapted to secure said liner within said folded raw edge and to said material.

6. The invention according to claim 1 in which said operative means comprises a securing head and a knife,

said means for relatively moving said platform and said operative means being adapted to relatively move said seduring head and said knife transversely of said folded sheet material in order to secure the folded portions of said cuff blank adjacent the transverse edge severed by said knife. l

7. The invention according to claim 6 in which said securing head comprises a pair of longitudinally spaced securing members, one member being located on each side of said knife, whereby relative transverse movement of said platform and said operative means causes said securing members to secure said folded sheet material along tranverse lines on opposite sides of the ends of said sheet material severed by said knife.

8. The invention according to claim6 in which said securing head comprises means for stitching thread through said folded material, means on said operative means for cutting the thread, and means for automatically actuating said thread cutting means after said stitching means has completed a stitch transversely of said sheet material. Y

9. The invention according to claim 8 in which said thread cutting means comprises a pair of normally open pivoted scissors blades, means mounting said scissors blades for vertical reciprocable movement above said platform, a slot in said base below said platform in vertical alignment with and adapted to receive and bias closed said scissors blades, said thread cutting actuating means comprising means for moving said open scissors blades down through said slot to close said scissors blades and cut said thread and means for biasing said blades upward to their normally open inoperative position.

10. The invention according to claim 1 in which said operative means is stationarily mounted on said base laterally adjacent the path of said folded material moving from said second guide means across said platform, guideways on said base for supporting said platform for movement transversely of the path of said sheet material to carry said folded sheet material beneath said operative means.

11. The invention according to claim 10 further comprising electrical means for actuating said operative means to operate upon said folded material, a switch arm mounted on said platform, an electrical switch mounted inthe transverse path of said switch arm for actuation by said arm before said material moves beneath said operative means, and for de-actuation by said arm after said material has passed beneath said operative means, said electrical switch being connected to said electrical means for energization thereof.

12. The invention according to claim 10 in which said first guide means and said second guide means are fixed to said platform for transverse movement therewith.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 792,870 6/ 1905 Wright 27093 2,045,188 6/1936 Joyce. 2,667,132 1/1954 Golden 112-10 2,787,228 4/1957 Roseman. 2,940,404 6/ 1960 Damon 112-10 3,082,715 3/1963 Lofgren. 3,126,848 3/ 1964 Gastonguay.

PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner. JAMES R. BOLER, Assistant Examiner. 

